Spring loaded furrow wheel



Oct. 19, 1954 R. w. wlLsoN 2,691,931

SPRING LOADED FURROW WHEEL Filed Feb. 27, 1952 ",4 6 )SYM/MVM Miam,

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 SPRING LOADED FURROW WHEEL Raymond W. Wilson, Ferndale, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Ford Motor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application February 27, 1952, Serial No. 273,619

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a spring loaded furrow wheel and more particularly to an improved spring loaded furrow Wheel for disc plows and disc tillers.

Disc tilling implements are often used in extremely rough ground and in uneven terrain and where the soil characteristics vary widely. Such conditions practically preclude the use of a moldboard plow for such land and, hence, the disc type of plow is an extremely valuable tool for tilling such soil.

Disc type tilling tools impose inordinately large side draft forces on the tractor which, however, may be reduced to a large extent by a furrow wheel. The furrow wheel is generally turned by a link connected between the tractor and the furrow wheel so that such furrow Wheel .steers the implement as the tractor is turned. Outside of the steerable feature most furrow wheels for disc type implements are non-adjustable, which for usage in uniformly textured soil is ordinarily satisfactory. However, where the disc tilling implement is utilized in all sorts of soil conditions, a relatively fixed furrow wheel does not provide for optimum steering of the implement or resistance to side draft forces, as for example, when the implement goes from hard to soft soil and when the implement is used on bumpy or rigid terrain.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide .a spring loaded furrow wheel for disc tilling implements to improve the steering characteristics of the tillage implement.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved furrow wheel for disc type implements which is resiliently mounted on the implement so that the furrow wheel is urged into the the ground at all times to thereby improve the steering and side draft resistance characteristics of such furrow wheel irrespective of variable soil conditions and terrain,

The specific nature of this invention, as well as other objects and advantages thereof, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings on which, by way of preferred example only, is illustrated one embodiment of this invention.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan View of a disc tiller shown mounted on a tractor, such tiller incorporating the spring loaded furrow wheel constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged scale sectional view taken along the plane 2-2 of Figure l; Figure 3 is an enlarged scale sectional View taken along the plane 3-3 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged scale detail, rear end View of the furrow wheel and its mounting.

As shown on the drawings:

In Figure 1 there is shown a tractor I6 which has a pair of power-lifted hitch links I I pivotally connected to the tractor rear axle housing I2 at laterally spaced points I3. The hitch links II are power-lifted by a built-in conventional hydraulic mechanism (not shown) which rocks a laterally disposed rock shaft (not shown), journaled in the upper portion of the tractor differential housing I4, to rock a pair of rock arms I5 respectively secured to the ends of the aforementioned rock shaft. Lift links I6 connected respectively to the ends of the rock arms I5 and to a medial portion of hitch links I I effect raising of the hitch links II. Tractor Il has a top link Il which has its front end pivotally connected to a rocker member I8. Such rocker is pivotally mounted on a suitable transverse pin (not shown) between a pair of integral upstanding lugs I9 provided on top of the housing I4. All of the above described elements of the tractor are well-known and, hence, further description thereof is not believed necessary.

A disc type implement, such as a disc tiller 20 to which the improved furrow wheel of this invention is conveniently applied, comprises a main tubular frame 2I angularly disposed to the longitudinal axis of the tractor II). The one end 2Ia of frame 2I is bent at right angles to the main portion thereof so that such end vprojects substantially rearwardly. A disc gang 22, comprising the usual concave cutting discs 23 mounted on a gang bolt (not shown) and separated in axially spaced relationship by spacers 24, is suitably rotatably journaled in a pair of horizontal rearwardly extending disc gang support arms 25. Arms 25 are respectively secured in axially spaced relationship on the main portion of frame 2| by a pair of clamps 25a which are secured to the arms 25 as by bolts 25h.

A pair of brackets 26 and 21 are secured by welding to the main frame 2l. The bracket 26 is secured to the forward end of the main frame 2| and bracket 2l is disposed at a rearwardly and laterally spaced point from the bracket 26. The bracket 26 has a horizontal end portion 26a which projects rearwardly and bracket 2l has a horizontal end portion 27a which projects forwardly. .An upright A-frame 28 has its lower ends respectively welded to the top of the end portions 26a and 21a, as best shown in Figure 1. The rearwardly and forwardly extending end portions 26a and 21a of brackets 26 and 2l thus angularly dispose the A-frame relative to the main frame 2l 3 and, as best shown in Figure l, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tractor Ill.

A pair of mounting pins 29 are respectively secured in the arm portions 26a and 21a which conveniently receive the apertured trailing ends of hitch links Il. The tractor top link Il has its trailing end universally connected to a .U -shaped bracket 3,0 ksecured by welding to the top of A- frame 28. A transverse pin 33a inserted through suitable aligned holes in the bracket 30 and through the apertured trailing end of the top link l1 effects connection of the top link to the bracket 30. A more detailed description of the disc tiller 20 is not believed necessary as such .directly forms no part of this invention.

The trailing end of the frame end portion 21a has a U-shaped bracket 3| vertically secured lby welding thereto. The bracket 3l has vertically aligned apertures 31a in its horizontal arms which rotatably journal a vertical shaft 32. The shaft 32 has a U- shaped bracket 33 secured as by welding to its lower end. A generally horizontal barlike arm 34 has one end pivotally connected by a transverse Din 3.5 to one arm of the U-shaped bracket 3.3. The transverse pin is inserted through horizontally aligned holes in the vertical arms of brackets V33 and through a suitable hole inarm ,3.4. Pin 35 is secured against displacement by a cotter pin 35a inserted through a diametrically disposed hole provided in one end of the pin 3,55. The other end of arm 34 is twisted, as shown at 34a to dispose such end at an angle to the main portion of arm 34. The twisted end 34a of arm 34 is apertured to receive a stub shaft 36. A furrow wheel 31 is journaled on the end of stub shaft 36. The inclination of the twisted end 34a vertically inclines the furrow wheel 3l relative to the vertical shaft `32, as best Ashown in 'Figure 4. Furrow wheel `3l has a peripheral edge ange 31a sharpened to penetrate the soil.

A lever arm 3S has an enlarged cylindrical hub portion 33a on one end which is provided with an ,axial vertical bore 3th to permit mounting the lever arm 38 on the upper end of the vertical shaft 32. The hub portion 38a rests on top of the upper arm of bracket 3i and Ya radially Ydisposed set screw 35 in the hub 33a locks the lever arm 38 relative to vertical shaft 32 when such screw is tightened thereagainst. The lever arm 38 has an integral lug 38C formed on a medial portion of the arm l3 8 and such lug is upwardly inclined relative to the arm 38, as best shown in Figures 3 and 4. A transverse aperture 33d is provided in the lug 33e to slidably receive a rodlike link 3S. The upper end of rod 33 has a plurality of axially spaced transverse holes 39a .and a cotter pin 40 is inserted in a selected one .of such holes to limit the downward movement of the link 33. A plurality of axially spaced transverse holes .33h are lprovided in the medial portion of the link 33 for a purpose to be presently explained. The lower vend 39e of link 33 is bent at right angles and such end is selectively insertable in any one of a plurality of holes 34h provided in a medial portion of arm 34. The vholes ,3th are disposed in a straight line which is, however, sloped relative to the horizontal axis of the arm 34, as best shown in Figure 3. A compression spring 4i surrounds the rod-like link 33 and the upper end of spring 4| abuts the underside of the lug ,330. The lower end of spring 4i abuts a washer 2 which surrounds the rod-like link '3,9 and the washer is secured in place by a cotter pin 43 inserted in a selected one of the transverse holes 39h. Thus, the spring 4I exerts a `.end of lever 38 by a suitable swiveling connector '45. Thus, when the tractor is turned, the link will be moved forwardly or rearwardly to effect rotation of the lever 38 which in turn rotates the furrow wheel 31 in the proper direction to facilitate steering .of the rear end of the implement 2li in a manner well-known.

Operation When tilling the soil with the disc tiller 2i) attached to tractor i, as shown in Figure l, the furrow wheel 3l rides yagainst the .furrow wall formed by the rearniosft disc 223 and the-.bottom portion of flange 3io, thereof, ibites into :thesoil to provide steerability. As the disc gang ZZtills i, the soil, spring 4i exerts a bias von .the arm 1134 at all times which tends to force the furrow wheel into the soil regardless of the soil conditions encountered. ThuS, improvedsteerability and resistance to side draft :forces will be obtained. By selectively positioning the .cotter .pins 40 and 1&3 along the link 39 in other ,of the holes 39a and 33h respectively, the effective force of spring 4i ,acting against furrow wheel 3l' may be greatly varied. It will be noted too that repositioning .the end portion 33e of link 33 in any ci the holes 34o nearer shaft 32, the angularrelationship of arm 3.4 with shaft 32 will be varied.

Thus it will be evident that an increased loading on the furrow wheel 3i may be-readily obtained without the necessity of pre-loading spring 141 to any great extent. Hence a wide range of operating conditions may be readily met.

From the foregoing description, it is clearly apparent that there is here provided an improved furrow wheel mounting which is spring loaded to force such furrow wheel into ground engagement so as to insure optimum steerability of the furrow wheel as well as improving its function as a side draft resisting device in widely varying soil textures and relative compactness thereof as well as on uneven ground.

It will, of course, be understood that various details of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention and it is, therefore, not the purpose to limit the patent granted hereon other'- wise than necessitated by the scope of the appended claims. i

I claim:

l. In a disc plow having a frame adapted for attachment to a tractor, a U'shaped bracket secured to the trailing end of said frame, a shaft vertically journaled in said bracket, a rearwardly extending arm vertically pivotally mounted on the lower end of said shaft, said arm having a plurality of transverse substantially `longitudinally spaced holes in the medial portion thereof, a lever arm secured to the upper end of'said shaft, an apertured lug on the medial portion of said lever arm, a link member having its one end slidably inserted in said lug aperture and its other end bent for insertion in a selected one oi' said transverse arm holes, means for adjustably limiting the downward sliding movement lof said link in said lug aperture, a spring surrounding said link member and having its one end in `abutment with said lug, axially positionable means on said link member abutting the other end of said spring, a furrow wheel journaled on the lower end of said pivoted arm, and a steering link having its ends respectively connected to the tractor axle and said lever arm for rotating said furrow wheel about the vertical axis of said shaft in response to turning of the tractor, said link member being thereby selectively positionable on said arm and adjustably spring loaded to mainn tain said furrow wheel in ground contact for variable soil conditions.

2. In a disc plow having a frame adapted for attachment to a tractor, a U-shaped yoke rigidly secured to the trailing end of said frame, a shaft vertically journaled in said yoke, said shaft having a vertically disposed second U-shaped yoke rigidly secured to its lower` end, a second shaft horizontally journaled in said second yoke, a rearwardly extending arm carried by said second shaft, said arm having a plurality of transverse substantially longitudinally spaced holes in the medial portion thereof, a lever arm horizontally rigidly secured to the upper end of said iirst shaft, an apertured lug on the medial portion of said lever arm, a link member having its one end slidably inserted in said lug aperture and its other end bent for insertion in a selected one of said transverse arm holes, means for adjustably limiting the downward movement of said link in said lug aperture, a spring surrounding said link member and having its one end in abutment with the underside of said lug, axially positionable means on said link member abutting the other end of said spring, a furrow wheel journaled on the free end of said rearwardly extending arm, and a xed length steering link having its one end adapted for connection to the tractor rear axle and its other end adjustably pivotally connected to said lever arm for rotating said furrow wheel about the vertical axis of said first shaft in response to turning of the tractor, said link being thereby selectively positionable on said rearwardly extending arm and adjustably spring loaded to maintain said furrow wheel in ground contact for variable soil conditions.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,158,371 McSherry Aug. 25, 1891 641,498 Crain et al, Jan. 16, 1900 1,965,927 Mahan July 10, 1934 2,038,715 Chambers Apr. 28, 1936 2,600,359 Coviello June l0, 1952 OTHER REFERENCES Publication, April 1950, British Farm Mechanization, vol. 3, No. 13, page 138. 

